Travel bag with hidden lighting device

ABSTRACT

A travel bag with hidden lighting device includes a bag body in the form of a soft luggage piece or backpack with an LED light-emitting device and a power switch hidden in a fabric peripheral wall thereof. Alternatively, an LED light-emitting device is mounted inside a transparent flexible tube of a handle at the fabric peripheral wall of the bag body. The LED light-emitting device includes a flexible circuit board and LED light-emitting units installed in the flexible circuit board. Thus, the user can press the power switch to switch on the LED light-emitting device for emitting light toward the inside or outside of the soft luggage piece or backpack.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION (a) Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to travel bag technology and, moreparticularly, to a travel bag with hidden lighting device, whichcomprises an LED light-emitting device and a power switch hidden in afabric peripheral wall of the travel bag operable to emit light towardthe inside or outside of the travel bag.

(b) Description of the Prior Art

Travel bags, such as luggage pieces and backpacks are widely used todayfor travels or outdoor adventures. Because a lot of personal items canbe kept inside a luggage piece or backpack, it is difficult to searchand pick up specific personal items from the luggage piece or backpackin a dark environment. Further, when a person carrying a backpack walksat night, he or she may not be clearly visible to the vehicle comingfrom behind, and a travel accident can occur easily.

Providing a light-emitting device on the inside or outside of a travelbag can overcome the aforesaid problem. Various similar designs are seenin U.S. Pat. No. 8,282,235, U.S. Pat. No. 7,111,959, U.S. Pat. No.6,499,857, U.S. Pat. No. 6,447,142, U.S. Pat. No. 3,800,134, etc.However, these techniques enable the light-emitting device to be exposedto the outside of the travel bag. This exposed design can obstruct theoriginal outer appearance design of the travel bag, and may have aproblem of insufficient protection over the light-emitting device.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention has been accomplished under the circumstances inview. It is one object of the present invention to provide a travel bagwith a hidden lighting device, which comprises an LED light-emittingdevice and a power switch hidden in a fabric peripheral wall of thetravel bag so that the user can press the power switch to switch on theLED light-emitting device, causing the LED light-emitting device to emitlight toward the inside of the travel bag. The travel bag may be a softluggage piece or backpack.

Further, the present invention to provide a travel bag with hiddenlighting device, which comprises a handle with a transparent flexibletube mounted on an outer side of a fabric peripheral wall of the travelbag, an LED light-emitting device mounted inside the transparentflexible tube, and a power switch hidden inside the fabric peripheralwall of the travel bag. Thus, the user can press the power switch toswitch on the LED light-emitting device, causing the LED light-emittingdevice to emit light toward the outside of the travel bag.

The travel bag with hidden lighting device achieves the benefits asfollows:

(1) The LED light-emitting device and the power switch are hidden insidethe fabric peripheral wall of the travel bag, or mounted inside thetransparent flexible tube of the handle so that the LED light-emittingdevice is well protected and kept from sight, maintaining the outerappearance of the travel bag.

(2) The LED light-emitting device can be arranged to emit light towardthe inside space of the travel bag, facilitating the user to searchitems stored therein and providing auxiliary lighting.

(3) The LED light-emitting device can be arranged to emit light towardthe outside of the travel bag, providing a visual warning signal towardthe outside.

Other advantages and features of the present invention will be fullyunderstood by reference to the following specification in conjunctionwith the accompanying drawings, in which like reference signs denotelike components of the illustrated structure.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic drawing illustrating an LED light-emitting devicehidden in a fabric peripheral wall of a backpack in accordance with afirst embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic drawing illustrating an LED light-emitting devicehidden in a fabric peripheral wall of a soft luggage piece in accordancewith the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a schematic drawing illustrating the arrangement of the LEDlight-emitting device and the power switch between the outer layer andinner layer of the fabric peripheral wall in accordance with the firstembodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a schematic drawing illustrating an LED light-emitting devicehidden in a transparent flexible tube at a fabric peripheral wall of abackpack in accordance with a second embodiment of the presentinvention.

FIG. 5 is a schematic drawing illustrating the arrangement of the LEDlight-emitting device hidden in the transparent flexible tube and thepower switch between the outer layer and the inner layer of the fabricperipheral wall in accordance with the second embodiment of the presentinvention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, a travel bag with hidden lighting devicein accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention is shown.The travel bag comprises a bag body 10 that can be made in the form of abackpack 10a or a soft luggage piece 10b, having a fabric peripheralwall 11 covering over top, bottom, front, back and opposite lateralsides thereof. An LED light-emitting device 20 is hidden inside thefabric peripheral wall 11, comprising a circuit substrate 21 and aplurality of LED light-emitting units 22 installed in the circuitsubstrate 21. The circuit substrate 21 is preferably a strip-likeflexible circuit board hidden inside the fabric peripheral wall 11 withthe LED light-emitting units 22 arranged to emit light toward the spaceinside the bag body 10. Alternatively, the LED light-emitting units 22can be arranged to emit light toward the outside of the bag body 10.Further, a power switch 30 is hidden inside the fabric peripheral wall11. The power switch 30 is preferably a push button switch electricallyconnected to the circuit substrate 21 of the LED light-emitting device20 through a power cord 50. The user can press the fabric of the fabricperipheral wall 11 to operate the power switch 30 to switch on/off theLED light-emitting device 20. Further, a battery cell 40, preferably arechargeable battery (for example, lithium battery), is mounted insidethe bag body 10 at any desired location and electrically connected tothe LED light-emitting device 20 and the power switch 30 through thepower cord 50.

Referring to FIGS.1-3 again, in the aforesaid first embodiment of thepresent invention, the fabric peripheral wall 11 of the bag body 10comprises an outer layer 111 facing toward the outside of the bag body10, and an opposing inner layer 112 facing toward the space inside thebag body 10. The LED light-emitting device 20 and the power switch 30are preferably mounted in between the outer layer 111 and the innerlayer 112, allowing the LED light-emitting units 22 to emit light towardthe space inside the bag body 10, to provide auxiliary lighting. On thecontrary, the LED light-emitting units 22 can be arranged in a reverseddirection to emit light toward the outside of the bag body 10, toprovide outward warning. In order for the emitted light of the LEDlight-emitting units 22 to pass through the fabric, the inner layer 112is configured to have an open window 113 corresponding to the LEDlight-emitting device 20, and a light transmissive covering 114 coveringthe open window 113. The light transmissive covering 114 can be a lightcolor fabric (for example, white fabric), mesh fabric or lighttransmissive film (for example, white plastic film) that admits light.

Referring to FIGS. 4 and 5, a travel bag with hidden lighting device inaccordance with a second embodiment of the present invention is shown.This second embodiment is substantially similar to the aforesaid firstembodiment with the exception that this second embodiment furthercomprises a handle 12 mounted on an outer surface of the fabricperipheral wall 11 of the bag body 10 (for example, at the top side ofthe fabric peripheral wall 11 of the backpack). The handle 12 comprisesa transparent flexible tube 121. The circuit substrate 21 and LEDlight-emitting units 22 of the LED light-emitting device 20 are mountedin the transparent flexible tube 121. The fabric peripheral wall 11 ofthe bag body 10 in accordance with this second embodiment also comprisesan outer layer 111 located on the outer side of the bag body 10 and aninner layer 112 located on the inner side of the bag body 10. The powerswitch 30 is mounted in between the outer layer 111 and the inner layer112. Thus, the user can press the fabric to operate the power switch 30to switch on/off the LED light-emitting units 22 of the LEDlight-emitting device 20. When switched on, the LED light-emitting units22 emit light toward the outside of the bag body 10, giving a visualwarning signal.

Although particular embodiments of the invention have been described indetail for purposes of illustration, various modifications andenhancements may be made without departing from the spirit and scope ofthe invention. Accordingly, the invention is not to be limited except asby the appended claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A travel bag, comprising: a bag body comprising afabric peripheral wall; an LED light-emitting device hidden in saidfabric peripheral wall, said LED light-emitting device comprising acircuit substrate and a plurality of LED light-emitting units installedin said circuit substrate, said LED light-emitting units beingselectively arranged to emit light toward the inside of said bag body orthe outside of the bag body; a power switch hidden in said fabricperipheral wall and electrically connected to said LED light-emittingdevice with a power cord; and a battery cell mounted in said bag bodyand electrically connected to said LED light-emitting device and saidpower switch through said power cord.
 2. The travel bag as claimed inclaim 1, wherein said fabric peripheral wall comprises an outer layerfacing toward an outer side of said bag body and an opposing inner layerfacing toward an inner side of said bag body; and said LEDlight-emitting device is mounted in between said outer layer and saidinner layer.
 3. The travel bag as claimed in claim 2, wherein said powerswitch is mounted in between said outer layer and said inner layer. 4.The travel bag as claimed in claim 2, wherein said inner layer comprisesan open window corresponding to said LED light-emitting device, and alight transmissive covering that covers said open window.
 5. The travelbag as claimed in claim 4, wherein said light transmissive covering isselectively a piece of fabric or plastic film.
 6. The travel bag asclaimed in claim 1, further comprising a handle mounted at an outersurface of said fabric peripheral wall, said handle comprising atransparent flexible tube, wherein said LED light-emitting device ismounted inside said transparent flexible tube.
 7. The travel bag asclaimed in claim 6, wherein said fabric peripheral wall comprises anouter layer facing toward an outer side of said bag body and an opposinginner layer facing toward an inner side of said bag body; and said powerswitch is mounted in between said outer layer and said inner layer. 8.The travel bag as claimed in claim 1, wherein said circuit substrate ofsaid LED light-emitting device is a strip-like flexible circuit board.9. The travel bag as claimed in claim 2, wherein said circuit substrateof said LED light-emitting device is a strip-like flexible circuitboard.
 10. The travel bag as claimed in claim 6, wherein said circuitsubstrate of said LED light-emitting device is a strip-like flexiblecircuit board.
 11. The travel bag as claimed in claim 1, wherein saidpower switch is a push button switch.
 12. The travel bag as claimed inclaim 3, wherein said power switch is a push button switch.
 13. Thetravel bag as claimed in claim 7, wherein said power switch is a pushbutton switch.
 14. The travel bag as claimed in claim 1, wherein saidbag body is selectively made in the form of a soft luggage piece orbackpack.